Variably adjustable limb immobilizer

Abstract

Patients' limb immobilizers for stabilizing fractured or broken limbs, which may be enclosed in casts, are structured to eliminate rolling movement of the limb, to promote comfort and healing. Laterally extending support bases resting on a bed or other underlying support surface are provided with a pair of upwardly-extending limb-embracing elements, which are adjustable to provide close embrace of the patient's limb. The elements may be rigid or flexible; they are releasably clamped on the patient's limb for optimum immobilization.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A patient's limb positioning and stabilizing device comprising: two transverse substantially flat rigid support bases, each adapted to have a lateral length substantially greater than the diameter of the patient's limb, and having an upper limb supporting surface and a flat lower face adapted to rest upon an underlying surface,   spacing means joining the two support bases and positioning them spaced a predetermined longitudinal distance apart along the limb,   a pair of upwardly extending first and second limb-embracing elements movably mounted on the upper limb-supporting surface of each base facing each other and flanking a central region of said upper surface,   adjustment means for movably positioning said limb-embracing elements relative to said support base and to the patient's limb to provide abutting embrace of limb between said elements, and   releasable clamping means for anchoring said limb-embracing elements in said abutting embrace of the limb, and for releasing and re-anchoring said embrace when desired, whereby the limb is supported above said upper limb supporting surfaces at two spaced apart locations and is stabilized against longitudinal and rotational movement.     
     
     
       2. The stabilizing device of claim 1, wherein each element of the pairs of limb-embracing elements comprises: a base plate slidingly mounted on said support base for adjustable movement toward and away from the base plate of the second element of the pair,   and a support arm projecting upward from the base plate and concavely curved facing the support arm of the second element of the pair.   
     
     
       3. The device of claim 2 wherein the curved support arms each have a soft resilient layer of padded lining mounted on their concavely facing inner surfaces. 
     
     
       4. The device of claim 2 wherein the base plate of each element is provided with laterally extending slot means for slidable engagement with upstanding fastening means protruding upward through said slot means for adjustment of the lateral spacing between the pairs of support arms. 
     
     
       5. The stabilizing device of claim 2 wherein said spacing means comprises rigid longitudinally extending attachment bar means having a first end adjustably and removably anchored to one support base of said device, and a second end adjustably and removably anchored to the second support base of said stabilizing device, whereby said concavely curved support arms of each pair of limb-embracing elements may be independently adjusted for lateral clamping of a patient's limb at two adjustably spaced longitudinal positions, with the spacing between the facing support arms of each pair being independently adjustable. 
     
     
       6. The stabilizing device of claim 5 wherein the spacing attachment bar means are joined to each support base by adjustable and removable fasteners. 
     
     
       7. The stabilizing device of claim 5 wherein the spacing attachment bar means are joined to each support base by adjustable fasteners removably anchoring said bar means to a support arm of one of the limb-embracing elements mounted on the upper surface of said support base. 
     
     
       8. The limb stabilizing device defined in claim 1, wherein each pair of upwardly extending limb-embracing elements are formed as opposite ends of a laterally extending flexibly deformable flat band having a central portion firmly anchored to a central region of the upper surface of said support base, said opposite ends being provided with said releasable clamping means. 
     
     
       9. The limb stabilizing device of claim 8, wherein the clamping means comprise infinitely adjustable mating areas of hook-and-loop area fasteners positioned at overlapping ends of said band, whereby the patient's limb is clampingly hugged by a continuously embracing flexible band, which can be released by peeling open the area fasteners whenever required. 
     
     
       10. The device of claim 8, further including a soft resilient layer of padded lining secured to the central portion of each flat band facing the patient's limb. 
     
     
       11. The stabilizing device of claim 8, wherein said spacing means comprises a rigid, longitudinally extending central base plate having a first end fixedly anchored to a first one of said support bases between a central region thereof and the central portion of the flat band anchored thereto and having a second end fixedly anchored to the second support base spaced apart from said first support base of the stabilizing device between a central region of said second support base and the central portion of the flat band anchored thereto, whereby the support bases and their flexibly-deformable limb-embracing band ends are anchored in the desired longitudinally spaced-apart relationship.